When is an Intervention Necessary?

Staging an Intervention Before “Rock Bottom”

When is the right time to stage an intervention? As a general rule of thumb, it is a good idea to stage an intervention as soon as a substance use disorder has become dangerous. Maybe your loved one has been repeatedly driving while intoxicated and gotten more than one DUI. Maybe your loved one has continued to use heroin intravenously despite a recent overdose. There is a common concept that it is a good idea to let an addicted loved one hit their own “rock bottom.” When someone hits “rock bottom” it figuratively means they are at the lowest point of their lives. The problem with waiting for someone to hit this point is that “rock bottom” might have horrendous consequences such as serious legal troubles, vehicular manslaughter or overdose death. Rather than waiting for things to completely spiral out of control, we recommend staging an intervention as soon as it becomes clear your loved one is incapable of making rational decisions.

How to Stage an Intervention

Once you make the decision to stage an intervention, what steps do you take? We have complied a list of 8 tips for preparing for and hosting an intervention.

8 Tips For Hosting an Intervention

1. Educate Yourself – As an initial step we recommend thoroughly educating yourself on the disease of addiction. Learning about the chronic and relapsing nature of addiction will help you understand what your loved one is going through and allow you to come from a place of compassion and understanding rather than frustration and resentment. Before even contacting an interventionist, it might also be a good idea to reach out to a licensed therapist with a personal background in substance abuse and mental health. Once you have educated yourself about addiction, and worked with a therapist who can help you cope with your situation, the next step is to get in touch with an interventionist.
2. Utilize a Professional Interventionist – Attempting to stage an intervention without professional guidance is never a good idea. If you do, the whole could backfire and you might very well push your loved one even further away. Staging an intervention is a multi-phased process that should be carried out under the close guidance of a trained professional. If you are ready to begin the intervention process, contact Guardian Recovery today.
3. Plan a Small Group – You and the interventionist will likely come up with a small group of family members and close friends who are going to be present at the intervention. It is important that the intervention team is made up of people who have been directly impacted by the substance abuse disorder.
4. Write Your Feelings – Everyone who is going to be directly involved in the intervention will likely write a letter to the addict or alcoholic detailing how the addiction has mentally and emotionally impacted them. These letters should express concern about the well-being of your loved one and provide very specific examples of times when their addictive behavior has had a negative impact. These letters should be honest and direct without placing blame or attacking.
5. Choose Treatment Options – During the intervention the addict or alcoholic will be presented with treatment options that are immediately available. In most cases the interventionist and the intervention team comes up with a medical detox, a residential inpatient treatment center and a potential aftercare plan. The idea is to present a plan your loved one can immediate say yes to at the intervention.
6. Set & Keep Personal Boundaries – It is important that you determine what consequences you are willing to follow through with if your loved one choses not to seek treatment. Some examples might be that your loved one can no longer live with you, that you will no longer provide financial assistance or that you will need to stop communication for your own well-being. These consequences should be thoroughly explained from a place of love during the intervention.
7. Follow Up With Your Interventionist – Should your loved one refuse treatment, the interventionist will follow up regularly. The interventionist will help you maintain the boundaries you have set and stand by the consequences you have implemented. The interventionist will also help you if your loved one develops a new level of willingness to seek treatment.
8. Keep Your Expectations In-Check – When it comes to staging an intervention it is extremely important to keep your personal expectations in check. No matter how well-planned the intervention is, there is always a chance your loved one will refuse treatment. If this happens, it doesn’t mean that all is lost. Important seeds have been planted. You can feel better knowing you have done everything in your power to do.